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A Murder Controversy in Afghanistan

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A soldier told his father his own unit was murdering innocent Afghans. The father told the Army. They didn’t listen. We will.

U.S. Army Spc. Adam Winfield while on duty in Afghanistan. Winfield is accused of murdering civilians during his deployment to Afghanistan, a charge he and his family firmly refute. (AP)
U.S. Army Spc. Adam Winfield while on duty in Afghanistan. Winfield is accused of murdering civilians during his deployment to Afghanistan, a charge he and his family firmly refute. (AP)

Some stories out of Afghanistan break your heart and make you wonder about the war. Yesterday, NPR reporter Tom Bowman brought us the story of ex-Marine Chris Winfield, whose son Adam sent him a message from Kandahar this year that there was murder going on in his Army unit.

Murder of innocent civilians, it’s now charged. For sport. And he was afraid for his own life if he resisted — if he told.  The father told the Army. The Army did nothing.

Now his own son is charged with murder. Today, the father is with us, with a terrible story out of Afghanistan. 
-Tom Ashbrook 
Guests:

Christopher Winfield, father of Army specialist Adam Winfield, who is charged with the murder of an Afghan civilian in May. He is himself a former Marine. He is joined by Emma Winfield, mother of Army Spc. Adam Winfield, and Neal Puckett, defense lawyer.

Tom Bowman, Pentagon correspondent for NPR. Listen to his story: "Father: Army Ignored Complaints of Afghan Slayings."  

This program aired on September 23, 2010.

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